News in brief

A man who murdered his nine-month-old niece whom he was babysitting was jailed for life at Manchester crown court yesterday. Trevor Stoker, 38, a father of two from Salford, was told he would serve a minimum of 17 years before being eligible for parole. He attacked Mollie Norman in June 2005 when she was staying overnight at his home. He punched her and squeezed her into a ball. He then appeared to cuddle her. The following morning he flipped her upside down, causing her to strike her head against a bed. She suffered severe brain injuries and died four days later. Helen Carter

Drug rape study finds strong link with alcohol

The first big study into alleged "drug rape" cases in the UK found widespread evidence that victims had been drinking but no cases of the drug Rohypnol, it was revealed today. Only two of 120 cases examined by the Association of Chief Police Officers found forensic evidence of GHB, the other drug linked with the drug rape phenomenon. But 119 of the 120 alleged victims admitted they had been drinking alcohol; forensic tests found evidence of alcohol in 52% of cases. The report concluded some rapists carry out their crimes by deliberately administering drugs, including alcohol. Press Association

Francis Bacon painting sold for a record $15m

Sotheby's yesterday revealed that an anonymous buyer in New York had paid $15m (about £7.9m), the highest price ever ever for a Francis Bacon. The monumental painting Version No 2 of Lying Figure with Hypodermic Syringe was part of a sale of contemporary art which brought the second highest total ever for the category at Sotheby's. Fifteen artist records were broken , including those for Anish Kapoor, Dan Flavin, Carl Andre and Isamu Noguchi. The sale reflects a booming art market fuelled by Asian and eastern European entrepreneurs and City workers with big bonuses. Mark Brown

U2's former stylist told to return rock memorabilia

U2's former stylist, Lola Cashman, was yesterday ordered to return personal items, including a Stetson hat, a pair of trousers, a sweatshirt and a pair of earrings, to the rock group's members. The judgment at the high court in Dublin confirmed a lower court decision last year. Among objects recovered were mugs used to drink tea during concerts - a revelation that may undermine U2's image as hard living rock stars. Ms Cashman claimed that the items were given to her by the lead singer Bono during a tour in 1987, but the court ruled that, on the balance of probability, they were not. Owen Bowcott

Finalists compete to be the new Speaking Clock

A coach driver from Torquay and a pub DJ from Dundee are among those competing to become the new voice of the BT Speaking Clock. They are among 15 people vying to succeed Brian Cobby. Children In Need is running the contest to find his replacement, which has attracted 18,405 entries. The shortlist includes Keith Gladman, 60, a coach driver from Torquay; David Battersby, 37, a stockbroker from Leeds; Scott Crawford, 29, a DJ from Dundee; and Tracy Cunningham, 34, a new mother from Glasgow. The winner will be announced on Children In Need Night tomorrow on BBC1. Rebecca Smithers

The spies who love their jobs go public on MI6

MI6 jumped on the publicity surrounding the latest James Bond film, Casino Royale, last night in an attempt to attract recruits. It allowed two of its officers, an unidentified man and woman, to be interviewed by BBC Radio 1's DJ Colin Murray on the subject of life as a real British spy. "There is certainly action, there is a lot of adventure and it's also quite glamorous," the woman replied. The male officer described it as "a job less ordinary". He added: "We also have a Q figure whose team is responsible for innovative technology and gimmicks and gadgets and things like that." Richard Norton-Taylor

Budding film-makers get chance of fame

Budding film-makers are being asked to submit 60-second films for a competition tying in with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' 60th birthday. The "60 seconds of fame" contest is open to anyone aged over 16. Shortlisted films will be shown regionally by the BBC before the public votes on the best submission from each area. The theme is "celebrate" and directors Ken Russell and Martha Fiennes will create their own films which will be available at Orange.co.uk/bafta. The website will have tips about soundtracks, editing software as well as general guidance. Mark Brown

Serious illness forces Flatley to cancel tour

The dancer Michael Flatley is in hospital with a serious illness, it emerged last night. All European tour dates for his latest production, Celtic Tiger, have been cancelled, according a statement on his website that read: "Michael Flatley remains in hospital and unavailable for comment." It is thought Flatley who suffered from facial skin cancer earlier this year, attended hospital two weeks ago. The 49-year-old married Niamh O'Brien a member of his troupe, in Ireland last month. Father Aidan Troy, who married them said: "I'm shocked. I thought initially it may be stress."Alex Kumi